What is the description of tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but they can also damage other parts of the body. TB spreads through the air when a person with TB of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, or talks.
What is the TB bacteria called?
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick.
What are the stages of TB?
There are 3 stages of TB—exposure, latent, and active disease. A TB skin test or a TB blood test can diagnose the disease. Treatment exactly as recommended is necessary to cure the disease and prevent its spread to other people.
Can you survive tuberculosis without treatment?
Without treatment, tuberculosis can be fatal. Untreated active disease typically affects your lungs, but it can affect other parts of your body, as well.
What are the early signs of TB?
Signs and symptoms of active TB include: Coughing that lasts three or more weeks. Coughing up blood. Chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing. Unintentional weight loss. Fatigue. Fever. Night sweats. Chills.
What are the signs of TB infection?
The usual symptoms that occur with an active TB infection are: a generalized tiredness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
Is it possible that I have TB without any symptoms?
If you have tuberculosis, you may not have any symptoms. That’s because the germs that cause this illness can live in your body without making you sick. In fact, most people who get infected with TB are able to fight the germs before they spread. Doctors call this “latent TB” infection.
Is TB contagious after treatment?
If you have active TB, taking all the medication that your doctor prescribes — even if you feel better — is the most important thing you can do to protect others. Patients with active TB are still contagious for at least two or three weeks after treatment starts.